From Ghana to Austin: An African Journalist on ACL, Floods & More

"Austin is an awesome place to be," says Lorrencia Nkrumah, a visiting journalist from Ghana.

Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon, KUT News

Each year, KUT is fortunate enough to host traveling journalists from around the world. Recently arrived in Austin is Lorrencia Nkrumah, a broadcast journalist at Citi 97.3 FM in the Republic of Ghana. What follows are her thoughts on her first weekend in Austin.

As a visiting journalist from Ghana, it is not surprising to wake up and find some parts of my capital Accra – or anywhere else, flooded. So when I came to the United States – and to Austin for the first time – I was a bit surprised by the rains that led to flooding in several areas.

In the midst of a multi- year drought, many locals were surprised too.

The rain, which started on Saturday night, flooded dozens of homes and led to the closure of several Austin-area roadways, parks, trails and even the cancellation of the final day of the Austin City Limits Music Festival. (I had a ticket and was personally shattered because Lionel Richie and some great musicians were billed to perform.)

So much rain fell so fast – as much as 12 inches in fewer than eight hours – that flash flood warnings blanketed the Central Texas region. As the rain continued to fall, mobile phone subscribers were alerted with repeated electronic warnings about the floods and the need to avoid low-water crossings and areas prone to flash floods.

The National Weather Service continues flood warnings in areas along the Colorado River and, with two to four more inches possible by Tuesday evening; local emergency management officials are monitoring the situation closely.

As a Ghanaian journalist, I have seen and covered several floods back home – to the extent that I can even predict what areas will be affected in the rainy season, and what the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) or Mayor Alfred Oko Vanderpuije will say.

In Ghana, due to choked drains and uncontrolled waste disposal – and a general attitude of not following proper procedures regarding building on waterways – there can be huge casualties when it rains for as little as four continuous hours in a day. People are displaced, livestock die, and there is a general outbreak of disease, particularly cholera.

Areas such as Kaneshie Market, Darkuman, Santa Maria, Odorkor, Kwame Nkrumah Circle and even some portions of the Dansoman Roundabout tend to be the hardest hit during flooding.

My visit to the states and particularly to Austin has shown a different approach in responding to floods and other related incidents. For instance, here police were able to rescue people from their homes and cars.

Texas and Ghana have both been susceptible to extreme weather over the years – flooding, and drought. In Ghana, our driest year was 1983. The ’83 drought left about 12,500,000 people affected.

In Texas, the drought has been characterized by wildfires that swept through the forests. But experts say, despite the rain, the drought is far from over. And the National Weather Service forecasts that there will be more rains in the coming days.

From a Ghanaian journalist’s point of view, Austin is an awesome place to be. Aside from the rains and floods, folks in Austin are diversified in their nature and very receptive.

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That's one takeaway from visiting Pakistani journalist Samreen Ghauri, who attended the Austin City Limits Music Festival this weekend. Below, read Samreen’s thoughts about ACL, Austin’s role as the “Live Music Capital,” and how music can help bridge cultural divides.

The annual Austin City Limits Music Festival actually has no limits. No limits to the fun, music, and food, but more importantly, no limit to the company of loved ones. The festival truly depicts the American way of life: enjoying life with a full sprit and enthusiasm.

I easily connected with the festival, because in Pakistan we have similar events. I belong to a traditional eastern society that has a rich cultural and musical heritage. In our society, music is a large part of daily life: at religious occasions, social events and cultural gatherings, music is always on.

When Sunday of this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival was canceled, concert promoters were widelycongratulated for finding alternate venues for many of the day’s headliners.

But what about another collection of festival talent: the food vendors that kept crowds fed?

While Sunday headliners Atoms for Peace rocked a capacity crowd after a last-minute rescheduling – and Lionel Richie played for a lucky, select few – there were no rebookings for the nearly 40 food vendors at ACL’s Austin Eats food court. Instead, vendors were left to rely on their wits alone to salvage such a potentially devastating blow.

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They've worked with everyone from Wu-Tang Clan to Green Day, from Black Sabbath to Jack White. They even braved the harsh cold of President Obama’s 2012 inauguration this past January.

They’re the sign language interpreters of LotuSIGN, and you can find them emphatically interpreting bands' lyrics and sounds at performances across the country. And while there’s plenty of air guitar and air piano, LotuSIGN means business.